This invention relates to a method and apparatus for generating chlorine dioxide using carbon dioxide and sodium chlorite and is a divisional of application Ser. No. 10/179,201, filed Jun. 26, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,761,872 which is a divisional of application Ser. No. 09/814,927, filed Mar. 23, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,436,345, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference.